Bishop calls for united effort for Mary Jane Veloso's transfer to PH

A Catholic bishop expressed hope that the long-awaited transfer of Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipino death row inmate in Indonesia, may happen soon. 

Antipolo Bishop Ruperto Santos, of the Church-based migrants' organization Stella Maris-Philippines, said that the news of Veloso's transfer to the Philippines was a "crucial moment" for her and her family. 

"May this potential transfer bring her closer to home, where she can receive the care and support she needs. Let us remain hopeful and united in our efforts to seek justice and mercy for Mary Jane Veloso," Santos said on CBCP News.

Last week, Indonesia's Coordinating Ministry for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration, and Correction (Kemenko Kumham Imipas) said it is considering the option of "transfer of prisoner" or prisoner transfer for foreign inmates, including Veloso, as part of constructive diplomacy.

The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed the news on Tuesday. 

In 2015, then-Indonesian President Joko Widodo said their government gave Veloso a "temporary reprieve" from her scheduled execution for alleged human trafficking.

A human trafficking case and large-scale illegal recruitment cases were filed against Veloso's traffickers, Julius Lacanilao and Cristina Sergio, in the Regional Trial Court of Nueva Ecija.

In 2020, a guilty verdict on the illegal recruitment case was handed down on the recruiters but the trafficking case is still pending.

Veloso's family sent letters to Joko Widodo and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in January this year to appeal for her clemency. —Sherylin Untalan/LDF, GMA Integrated News